�Increase quality yarn production, revitalise silk sector�

The rising price of imported yarn has posed a challenge to local silk manufacturers, but offered an opportunity to increase local production of raw materials, reports BSS from Rajshahi.
Boosting production of local yarn can help revitalise the silk sector and regain its lost glory alongside meeting the local demand.
Local consumption could be met with domestic outputs of silk after proper use of natural resources.
The observations came at a day-long workshop styled “Boosting Quality Silk Yarn Production in Minifiliatures through addressing the existing problems” held at the conference hall of Bangladesh Silk Development Board (BSDB) yesterday.
Bangladesh Silk Founda-tion (BSF) and BSDB jointly organised the workshop discussing ways and means on how to boost the quality yarn to meet up the local demands.
Director General of BSDB Anis-Ul Haque Bhuiyan and Managing Director of BSF Jahangir Hossain addressed the inaugural session as the chief and special guest respectively, while having General Manager of BSF Nasir Uddin in the chair.
BSDB Member Serajul Islam, president of Bangladesh Silk Industry Owners Association Liakat Ali, Deputy Director of Regional Silk Extension Office Mofazzal Hossain and Technical Officer of Meergonj Minilifilature Centre Abdul Jalil also spoke on the occasion.
During his keynote presentation, Deputy Chief Production and Marketing Officer of BSDB Abu Taher Sarder highlighted various ways and means of substantial and sustainable production of silk yarn through the best uses of 12 minifilatures of BSDB.
The discussants recommended that ways and means should be worked out how yarn production could be boosted through proper utilisation of the existing natural and other infrastructural resources.
There is no alternative to raise domestic production of yarn to protect the sector.
They opined that the sector needs an urgent initiative to retain the skilled labourers, especially the rearers, weavers and printers, in the profession and thus protecting the sector itself.
Demand of local yarn has started to increase due to the price-hike of imported silk.
 It is expected that the cocoon rearers would become interested again in enhancing their production if they get a reasonable price of their produce.
“We have no alternative to revitilising the sector and protect its six lakh people,” said silk industrialist Liakat Ali.
He listed the growers should be provided with supports and inputs such as disinfectant eggs, high-yielding mulberry plants, technical support and soft loan for construction of rearing house along with ensuring sound marketing facilities.
He maintains that sericulture, a labour-intensive, agro-based industry, is ideally suited to the socioeconomic conditions of the country.
As a cottage industry, all family members can work and earn supplementary income in sericulture.
Mulberry, the only food plant of the silkworm can be raised in any cultivable and non-cultivable land ensures leaf supply for about 30 to 35 years.

�Increase quality yarn production, revitalise silk sector�

The rising price of imported yarn has posed a challenge to local silk manufacturers, but offered an opportunity to increase local production of raw materials, reports BSS from Rajshahi. Boosting production of local yarn can help revitalise the silk sector and regain its lost glory alongside meeting the local demand. Local consumption could be met with domestic outputs of silk after proper use of natural resources. The observations came at a day-long workshop styled Boosting Quality Silk Yarn Production in Minifiliatures through addressing the existing problems held at the conference hall of Bangladesh Silk Development Board (BSDB) yesterday. Bangladesh Silk Founda-tion (BSF) and BSDB jointly organised the workshop discussing ways and means on how to boost the quality yarn to meet up the local demands. Director General of BSDB Anis-Ul Haque Bhuiyan and Managing Director of BSF Jahangir Hossain addressed the inaugural session as the chief and special guest respectively, while having General Manager of BSF Nasir Uddin in the chair. BSDB Member Serajul Islam, president of Bangladesh Silk Industry Owners Association Liakat Ali, Deputy Director of Regional Silk Extension Office Mofazzal Hossain and Technical Officer of Meergonj Minilifilature Centre Abdul Jalil also spoke on the occasion. During his keynote presentation, Deputy Chief Production and Marketing Officer of BSDB Abu Taher Sarder highlighted various ways and means of substantial and sustainable production of silk yarn through the best uses of 12 minifilatures of BSDB. The discussants recommended that ways and means should be worked out how yarn production could be boosted through proper utilisation of the existing natural and other infrastructural resources. There is no alternative to raise domestic production of yarn to protect the sector. They opined that the sector needs an urgent initiative to retain the skilled labourers, especially the rearers, weavers and printers, in the profession and thus protecting the sector itself. Demand of local yarn has started to increase due to the price-hike of imported silk. It is expected that the cocoon rearers would become interested again in enhancing their production if they get a reasonable price of their produce. We have no alternative to revitilising the sector and protect its six lakh people, said silk industrialist Liakat Ali. He listed the growers should be provided with supports and inputs such as disinfectant eggs, high-yielding mulberry plants, technical support and soft loan for construction of rearing house along with ensuring sound marketing facilities. He maintains that sericulture, a labour-intensive, agro-based industry, is ideally suited to the socioeconomic conditions of the country. As a cottage industry, all family members can work and earn supplementary income in sericulture. Mulberry, the only food plant of the silkworm can be raised in any cultivable and non-cultivable land ensures leaf supply for about 30 to 35 years.